Device for handling, lifting, or supporting invalids or the like.



PATENTED JAN. 22, 1-907;

T. A. MARTIN. I DEVICE FOR HANDLING, LIPTING, OR SUPPORTING INVALIDS OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV: 6, 1905" fi mag/WW8 a K ATTOfi/VEK STATES PATENT OFFICE. THOMAS Auoiisrus vian'rirt, or covincron, KENTUCKY. I

DEVICE FOR HANDLING, LIFT mack tUPPOR TING INVALflDS oRTHt LIKE.

Patented Jan. 22, 1907.

. Application filed November 6, 1905. Seria1No,286,1l7--- To all whont it m/a/y (ran/earn.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS AUGUSTUS MARTIN, acitizen of the United States, residing at'Covington, in the county of 'Kenton and State of Kentucky, (whose post-office address is 61 Powell street, Covington, Kenton county, Ke'ntucky,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Handling, Lifting, orSupporti'ng In valids, Patients, or the Like, of which the following is a specification. 1

It is the object of my invention to provide g a new and improved device for the purpose of moving or handling helpless or afflicted persons, cripples, or nvahds w th comfort to I the patient and ease to the nurse or attendant: My invention consists in providing aflex -l ble sheet upon which the patient is adapted to lie and a carrying-frame, with straps or connections between the sheet and carryingframe which are substantially sh ter at the head end than at the lower end of he sheet,

so that when the frame is raised the head end of the sheet may be first raised for raising the body of the patient into substantially up-' right position, after which the further raising of the frame Will bring the lower straps or connections into lifting action and, in connection with the lifting action of the upper connections and sheet, will support the patient on the sheet in sitting position and enable him to be thus swun or carriedon the supporting-frame to anot ier chair or bed or other device, whenthe supportingframe can be lowered for seating or reclining the patient in the chair, bed, or other device; and my invention consists, further, in so arranging the connections :that the patient may be readily proved device shown occupied by a patient.

ig. 2 is a plan view of the carrying-sheet with its supporting connections. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section of the same on may be upholstered, if desired.

the line a: of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is. a perspective viewof-the lower reinforce-plate. Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective, showing how the long supporting-straps can be instantly shortened to substantially the length of the short supporting-stra )s. g

1 represents t e sheet, which is preferably of canvas, ticking, or other soft material and The sheet at its head end is provided with a connection 2 at eachside thereof and at its lower end with a connecticn3 at each side there of. The connections 3 are preferably substantially longer than the connections 2 for purposes hereinafter explained. I Each of thesd connections is preferably capable of adjustment to length, as by being separated intermediate of its length for forming a pair of strands f 5, one of the strands having a buckle 6 secured thereto, the tongue 7 of which is adapted to be selectivelyinserted into holes 8 of the other of said strands: The head end of the sheet preferably has extensions 9 and the lower end of sheet extensions 10. to which the strains 5 are secured, forming part of the respective connections 23, the head end being preferablycut rounding, as shown at 11.

12 is a carrying-frame \\"ith .\\'hich the connections 2 3 are adapted to be releasably engaged. Thus the carryingfran1e may be provided with hooks 13'and the connections with rings H, adapted to be engaged into the hooks for connecting the sheet with the carrying frame. The carryi11gfrnnie adapted to be raised and lowered in suitable manner for rendering the aising or lowering of the same when the patient is supported in the sheet easy for the nurse or attendant. l. have shown such means as (-oinprisil'ig .1 post 15, which may be of any desirable length to suit thehcight'of the room in which the device may be used and is jou rnnled at its top in. a ceiling-plate n; and at its bottom in a floor-plate 17. An arm 15. suitably braced. extends fronrthe post and at its outer end has a pair of pulleys 1t) 20, journnled therein, a pulley-block ll being connected with the fran'ie 12,215 by means of a book 22 takinginto-nn aperture 23in the frame. ropejl or other suitable flexible raising connection 'has its end attached to a hook 25 on the pulley-block and takes over the pulley Hi. the pulley in the pulley-block. the pulley 20, then passes along the arm is and o\'c1 n pulley 2n, and thence to a drum 37, upon which reception of an operating-handle it is adapted to be wound. For turningthe drumI prefer to connect it with a gear 28 on a shaft 29, the gear 28 being meshed by aporting-frame is lowered to enable the connections 2 and 3 to be connected therewith.

The head connections being shorter than the lower connections, power will first be exerted upon these head connections when rais ng the support ng-frame, thereby raising the body of the patient toward or into an up-.

right position, when the lifting power will also be exerted. upon theilower connections and the patient raised bodily into sitting position, so as to be suspended from the carrying-frame above the bed, when he can be easily swung from the bed to a chair, bed, or other dev1ceas a commode, for instanceand gently lowered thereon. When replacing the patient into the bed, he can be gently lowered into sitting position upon the bed,

when his body may be gently reclined back into lying position without strain upon thepatient, nurse, or attendant. I

The adjustments in the connections 2 and 3 permit the patient when in sitting position to be normally inclined farther baekwardly or forwardly, as may be desired, and additional'adjustment for the purpose may be provided by additional hooks 13 on the carrying-frame with which the rings 14 may be selectively engaged.

The sheet 1 is preferably flexible. In or der to aflord'additional 'ease to the patient when raising or lowering the same, the sheet may be, provided with detachable reinforcingstrips at the back and under the hips of the patient. Forthis purpose I provide the 'head end of the sheet with a pocket 35',

adapted to receive a stiffening-board 36, and. 'provide the lower end of the sheet with a pocket 37, adapted to receive a stiffeningboard 38,- the stiffening-board 38 preferably havinga recess 39 arranged to take about the opening 40, provided for obvious reasons. When it is desired to raise the patient, the stiffening-boards will be temporarily slipped 1 into the pockets and the patient then ralsed,

these boards preferably extending from side to side of the sheet for preventing crowding or drawing of the sheet about the patient.

name hereto in' the chair in which the patient may rest. A

If it- 's desired to turn the patient upon his side or to roll the patient upon the bed, one or both of the connections 3 may be provided .with a shortening-device, as a hook 4]. and a ring 42, adapted to be interengaged for the purpose of providing additional-adjustment to said connections for-quickly bringing the connections at one side of the sheet to substantially-equal length, the connections at said one side of thefsheet being connected with the one side of the carrying-frame, the other side of said sheet remaining free of connection with said'frame, whereupon when the frame is raised the patient will be turned or rolled with little exertion by theattendant. When the hook 41 and ring 42 are interengaged, the part of the-connection 3 between thesame will form a loosely-hanging loop 43.

Having thus fullydescribed my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to-secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a'device of the character described, the combination of a flexible sheet having comparatively short straps extending therefrom at its head end and comparatively long straps extending therefrom at its foot end, a supporting-frame, means for re'leasaby securing said straps to said supporting-frame, a hook and eye on each of said long straps 1 for instantly reducing them to substantially the length of said short straps, and means for raising and. lowering said supportingframe, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described the combination of a flexible sheet having comparatively short straps extending longitud'inally therefrom at it's head end and having a pocket ,at its head end opening toward its head edge, a removable stifl'ening-plate received by said pocket, said flexible sheet having comparatively long straps extending laterally therefrom at its foot end, "and a pocket at its foot end opening toward its foot edge, said flexible sheet further having an opening 40, a removable stiffening-plate received by said last-named pocket, a supporting-frame, means for releasably securing said straps tc said supporting fraine, and

. means for raising and lowering said supporting-frame, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my presence of two subscril ing witnesses.

THOMAS AUGUSTUS MARTIN. Witnesses CHAS. E. IIAMIL'ION, J. A. PATTERSON,

IOC 

